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I finished the three day process to a second proof of the phlox forest today, and I'm largely pleased. There's a little glare on the photo. The black will be black in person. And I have to clean up color in the path a little, but it's about ready to pull some final prints.
I'm also sketching out a new small travel print of the Rodin Museum from my sketchbook work I did while I was there. I'm having fun doing the travel prints with the deco lettering again.
And I also had a lovely discovery this week. I tested the first of these small prints on my big Chandler and Price press. When I first got it, I couldn't get art prints right, just note cards, and I just gave up and moved on. It would be lovely to have the quickness of printing of the production press for these smaller and simpler ones, though, and with my increased familiarity by now, I got it to work on my proof. I'm excited about the possibilities and will have to get some paper cut and just go for it soon.
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The weather was almost picture perfect this weekend, after a slightly stormy start. Sunny with low humidity and a great breeze. Mr. Darcy and I took off for the forest with a sketchbook in hand one afternoon. I sketched the "Elvis urns" in the forest, playing with the varied colors they've weathered to. These huge concrete urns sat on the stage at the Shell when Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee performed at the open air band stand back in the day. They have since migrated to the forest to decay picturesquely.
The clouds were gorgeous, and I'm trying to figure out clouds in watercolor, so I took a little time to paint them as well. I loved sitting and enjoying the breeze in the shade at the edge of the Greensward.
The clouds were gorgeous, and I'm trying to figure out clouds in watercolor, so I took a little time to paint them as well. I loved sitting and enjoying the breeze in the shade at the edge of the Greensward.
Last night I went to the Shell to hear Rising Appalachia. It's a beautifully restored place, after being derelict for a while, and they put on about 50 free concerts a year. It's also four blocks from my house, which is lovely.
I also spent some non sketching time in the park. It was the Day of Merrymaking festival on Saturday, put on by the Overton Park Conservancy which manages the park. They had an empty slot in their entertainment, and since I'm on the board they asked if I would fill it. I was a bit nervous, since I don't usually perform on a stage with a sound system. (In fact, there's really not a "usually" at all. I usually play at home for my own pleasure.) But I had a total ball, didn't embarrass myself, and now would kind of love to sing songs in public once in a while. It helped that I had the moral support of Mr. Darcy, since I really never go to the park without him.
Joe Spake and Allison Sheppard took these shots of the two of us. I was grateful to them, since I don't do this very often, and it's fun to have the evidence of it.
Even better, Allison sketched me while I was playing! I've been drawing musicians for years now, and I was completely thrilled to have her sketch me while I was, for once, the one playing in public. It's doubly lovely because Allison was at the class I did recently with a 5th and 6th grade art class and got fired up to sketch again when I showed off the ease of the brush pen. I'm so happy to spread this everyday joy, and I'm so grateful to her for coming out to both support and sketch me.
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I had another deadline for the Memphis News and wanted to sketch in Overton Square, the newly refurbished entertainment district that had been moribund for decades and is now thriving again. A massive rainstorm had hit in the midafternoon, though, so the patios were still empty in the early evening. This gave me the perfect excuse to catch the first set of Breeze Coyolle (NOLA saxophonist) who plays with my friends Tom Lonardo and Tim Goodwin on drums and bass respectively. I sketched them, enjoyed a lovely hour of music, and then went outside to do my watercolor just before it got too dark. Perfect. (I'll post the watercolor after it's in print.)
Then I went off dancing for the weekend and sketched one of the bands there. The Mean Lids gave an exquisite, totally unplugged concert for us one evening, and I had to reach for my pen.
Then I went off dancing for the weekend and sketched one of the bands there. The Mean Lids gave an exquisite, totally unplugged concert for us one evening, and I had to reach for my pen.
I did the more formal one above and finished with this second, freer form page below that I like better. It seems to take me a page or so to loosen up sometimes.
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I had a couple of lovely food moments recently. One was a slightly rainy but still successful picnic under a gorgeous, spreading catalpa tree. I'd been wanting to sketch it for a while and finally managed it.
I also enjoy sketching special food that I'm really enjoying. It slows me down and helps me appreciate and also helps me remember so I enjoy the moment all over again later. Lavender creme brulee completely qualifies for such immortality.
I also enjoy sketching special food that I'm really enjoying. It slows me down and helps me appreciate and also helps me remember so I enjoy the moment all over again later. Lavender creme brulee completely qualifies for such immortality.
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Clouds and gorgeous skies were my favorite thing to capture in pastels and oils back when I was working in them. (Well, besides trees, of course.) I would love to be able to do them justice in watercolor too, so I've been thinking I need to do more cloud studies and just figure this out. I was watching this evening sky recently and couldn't resist reaching for my sketchbook. I'm happy with the top one, less happy with the one below, but it will be a process.
A recent moonrise was also stunning. I'm always drawn to the moon.
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My friend Andy Cohen was recently in town for a week or so in the midst of his nine months of annual touring. It was great to have him back home. When he's here, he comes and plays with our regular old time jam, and he always adds extra zing to the proceedings.
I went out to hear him play a set at a benefit and did some sketches of him while he played. I'm still having fun experimenting with the watercolor graphite I got in Paris.
I went out to hear him play a set at a benefit and did some sketches of him while he played. I'm still having fun experimenting with the watercolor graphite I got in Paris.
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I got to visit an art class this week at Memphis Hebrew Academy. It was delightful to watch the girls' enthusiasm as they leafed through my art journals. I took a bunch of my journals and travel sketchbooks and talked about what keeping these books means for my work and also my happiness. More and more I feel that my job is to spread the good news of keeping a sketch book and show the ease of using a brush pen in daily life. It's a rewarding thing to watch people think, "hey! I can do this!" That also happened recently at a women's retreat. Giving people the tools to express themselves and watching them play is a beautiful compliment to the time I spend at home alone making my own art.
The MHA art teacher Chany Fleischhacker wrote a blog post with more of her lovely photos at http://artbeatofmha.blogspot.com/2016/05/a-visit-from-martha-kelly.html?m=1
I so appreciated the joy in these images.
The MHA art teacher Chany Fleischhacker wrote a blog post with more of her lovely photos at http://artbeatofmha.blogspot.com/2016/05/a-visit-from-martha-kelly.html?m=1
I so appreciated the joy in these images.
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I got excited about my sketchbook on my trip and have been sketching as I'm out and about at home, even though I'm doing pretty intensive print work in the house. Above is the set for The Country House at Circuit Playhouse this past weekend. I love going to live theater, and we have a great one in Memphis.
I've also recently been at St. Mary's Episcopal (where I went so many weekends with my grandparents growing up) and given a talk at the Artists' Link group on Monday night. It was fun to get to talk about my work with a bunch of artists, and since it was Monday, I took my banjo along to go on to my jam afterwards.
I've also recently been at St. Mary's Episcopal (where I went so many weekends with my grandparents growing up) and given a talk at the Artists' Link group on Monday night. It was fun to get to talk about my work with a bunch of artists, and since it was Monday, I took my banjo along to go on to my jam afterwards.
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Andy is one of my longtime friends and is a truly marvelous musician. I am lucky enough to get to play with him at my jam group when he's off the road. Recently he took a week's break from his nine month touring schedule, and I got to visit with him and his wife Larkin, also a wonderful musician.
Andy played a gig while he was home, and I showed up to listen and did some sketches as well. I'm still playing around with the new watercolor graphite I got in Paris and having fun with it.
Andy played a gig while he was home, and I showed up to listen and did some sketches as well. I'm still playing around with the new watercolor graphite I got in Paris and having fun with it.
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Memphians are still fighting our own city council to save the central area of our huge central park from being paved for yet more parking lot for the adjacent zoo. It breaks my heart. So I went down for the second reading of a resolution to hand the zoo the land. I was pleased to see a large turnout of people who waited patiently for a couple of hours and stayed to both speak and listen to all the other supporters speak as well. I'm so nervous for our park and hoping for the best. Overton Park is my main muse. It's where I walk every day and paint regularly. It's historic. It is needed respite from asphalt and city life. I have been heartsick about this all year.